Steering wheel
AssigneeAutoliv Development AB
InventorsJinkeun Kim, Syunsuke Kanagami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering wheel enabling support of an airbag module by distributing a load when the airbag activates to ensure prescribed deployment performance of the airbag without affecting the horn function. The steering wheel includes: a support unit that supports the airbag module enabling the airbag module to move along the Z-axis direction relative to the core metal; and a horn mechanism having a movable contact provided on the airbag module and a fixed contact provided on the pin of the support unit. When in a horn non-operating state, a stopper is separated by a distance D2 in the Z-axis direction relative to the airbag module and the distance D2 is farther than the distance D1 of the movable contact and the fixed contact in the Z-axis direction.
Claims20
A steering wheel, comprising:
- a core metal forming a skeletal structure of the steering wheel;
- an airbag module including a housing for stowing an airbag cushion;
- a support unit for supporting the airbag module enabling the airbag module to move along a first direction relative to the core metal, the support unit including:
- a spring provided between the core metal and the airbag module providing bias for separating the airbag module from the core metal;
- a damper assembly having an elastic body mounted on an opening part formed on the airbag module;
- and
- a pin that engages with a pin receiving part provided on the core metal, extends in the first direction, and is inserted into the opening part, wherein the damper assembly is configured to enable movement along the first direction relative to the pin and moves in the first direction together with the airbag module;
- a horn mechanism including a movable contact and a fixed contact, the movable contact being provided on the airbag module, the fixed contact being provided on the core metal or the support unit, the movable contact being separated from the fixed contact by a first distance in a first direction when in a horn non-operating state, while the movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contact for a horn operating state by the airbag module moving in the first direction;
- and
- a stopper provided on a second of the core metal and the airbag module so as to enable coming into contact with a first of the core metal and the airbag module, and when in a horn non-operating state, is at a second distance in the first direction relative to the first of the core metal and the airbag module, wherein the second distance is a longer distance than the first distance.
A steering wheel, comprising:
- a core metal forming a skeletal structure of the steering wheel;
- an airbag module including a housing for stowing an airbag cushion;
- a support unit for supporting the airbag module enabling the airbag module to move along a first direction relative to the core metal;
- a horn mechanism including a movable contact and a fixed contact, the movable contact being provided on the airbag module, the fixed contact being provided on the core metal or the support unit, the movable contact being separated from the fixed contact by a first distance in a first direction when in a horn non-operating state, while the movable contact comes into contact with the fixed contact for a horn operating state by the airbag module moving in the first direction;
- and
- a stopper provided on a second of the core metal and the airbag module so as to enable coming into contact with a first of the core metal and the airbag module, and when in a horn non-operating state, is at a second distance in the first direction relative to the first of the core metal and the airbag module, wherein the airbag module has a lock plate associated with the support unit and mounted on a bottom wall of the housing, wherein the stopper is formed on the core metal so as to enable contact with the lock plate, and wherein the second distance is a longer distance than the first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.